No fatalities

1994-09-20: Antonov AN-26 (508) — Romanian Air Force - Fortele Aeriene Române — Oradea, Romania

Oradea, RomaniaTakeoff (climb)

On September 20, 1994, an Antonov AN-26 (registration 508) operated by Romanian Air Force - Fortele Aeriene Române was involved in an aviation accident near Oradea, Romania during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The landing gear was retracted by a trainee engineer before the aircraft had sufficiently cleared the ground during takeoff. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781208693Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft experienced a runway excursion at Oradea Airport after the landing gear was retracted prematurely during the takeoff roll.

What happened

During the initial stages of a takeoff roll at Oradea Airport, an incident occurred involving the premature retraction of the aircraft's undercarriage. While the plane was still accelerating along the runway, the flight engineer, who was undergoing training at the time, moved the landing gear lever into the retracted position.

As a result of this action, the aircraft type lost its structural support from the wheels and settled onto its belly. The movement caused the plane to skid along the runway surface before eventually coming to a complete stop. Despite the severity of the impact with the ground, all 11 occupants were able to evacuate the aircraft without sustaining any injuries.

Findings

Investigations into the event concluded that the primary factor was the premature retraction of the undercarriage during the takeoff phase of flight. The incident resulted in significant damage to the airframe, rendering the vessel a total loss.

Probable cause

The landing gear was retracted by a trainee engineer before the aircraft had sufficiently cleared the ground during takeoff.